A few random things tonight.
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I started working on a FAQ page for the blog. It’s got most of the questions I get asked a lot but since I’ve got a bad memory I know I’ve forgotten a few. I’ll keep adding a few and if there is anything you think should be on there or you want to know something, please ask in the comments. :)
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Some of you love to hear about things that are different in New Zealand. Here are some of the things I’ve noticed lately.
Target is not Target. There is a Target here. I was excited for half a second before realizing it was a furniture. Bed Bath & Beyond is a similar story.
Gyms are not packed in January. In the US gyms start getting more busy the first week of January. Here in NZ our gym was basically closed the first week – it was only open two hours a day. It didn’t return to regular hours until Jan 10 and even since then I haven’t noticed a change. This might be because it’s summer here and it’s easier for newbies to get out and walk/run/bike/swim here, but it was still strange to me.
Makeup is ridiculously expensive. The mascara I use which has always cost me about $6-7 costs roughly $19 USD ($24 NZD). And today I went to the drugstore to pick up contact solution and stopped to look at nail polish so I could paint my nails a pretty color. It cost $25.99 NZD. Once I run out of the makeup I have I’ll stop wearing it again until I can restock when I go back to the states. Honestly.
Americans are spoiled with low cost products. Seriously EVERYTHING is cheaper in the US. I regret not buying everything I could have possibly thought to need before moving. It’s amazing how much more things – almost all things – cost in New Zealand (and other countries). When I get back home I’m going on a shopping spree at Target/Walmart/thrift stores.
Spelling is different. I’m not used to adding the extra vowels all the time. Also, most names of places/streets/cities in New Zealand are Maori, which means I can’t say them right. Or spell them. Ever.
There are other things so maybe this will be an ongoing series.
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Speaking of differences, I took my measurements today. In the couple of months I’ve been doing tri training I’ve gained four pounds but lost 8 inches overall. Booyah! My favorite change is the two inches off my thighs. My quads muscles are bigger but my legs overall are smaller. Win!
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I’m thinking about the shirt I’m going to wear to the triathlon. I can’t decide between wearing the shirt they give me and wearing a shirt that I’ve made myself. If I make one, what should I write on it?
Hanlie says
You are so right – things are ridiculously expensive outside the US. Here is South Africa, cars cost almost double what they cost in the US, even though they are manufactured right here. Electronics are much more expensive, as are clothing, cosmetics, books, CD’s – just about anything. Even food.
Services are generally cheaper elsewhere though. It is common for us to have a cleaning lady and someone to tend the garden. We don’t pump our own gas. Beauty treatments and hair cuts, even at the best salons, will cost you less than half of what you’d pay in the States. Even private medical expenses are much cheaper, which we have so many “medical tourists”, people who come to have their plastic surgery or IVF here.
Good luck with your tri! I will think of you!
Yvette Rowe says
Hey Merry,
I can so relate! I moved to Australia from the United States 6 years ago, and married an aussie. Our stories are similiar, I met my hubby online and I also have had my own weight loss transformation.
I was astounded at the price of mascara too!! Food, shoes, BOOKS!!? I have not been back to the US yet but can’t wait to go and I will definitely stock up! I was sad to see Bed Bath and Beyond had nothing exciting. I was REALLY excited that our mall has a Borders!! Oh how I miss Barnes and Noble! At least we have Starbucks, and I just found Ben and Jerrys! for 11.00 a small tub!!
Good luck on your Tri-athalon! how exciting! I am planning to compete in figure this year, my first one! How exciting it is though to get outside the US and see how some of the world lives. I just love it here! I would love to take a trip to New Zealand (I have been there 3 times but never left the airport) and actually see it.:)
Mary says
That’s very exciting! Good luck with your first figure competition!
Julie - Big Girl Bombshell says
I love reading your posts especially since you moved to NZ. I have never been out of the states and often we forget ALL the differences…
Congrats on the inches lost…I have had to learn for myself that is MUCH more rewarding than the scale!
Miz says
ahhh the FAQ page.
do you hire yourself out to do other peoples as well? :)
Mary says
Of course! I hire myself out for almost everything. I should probably also create a “hire me” page. ;)
Laurie says
Wear your own, you’ll stand out.
Have your name on it somewhere so people will cheer your name.
Great job on the measurements.
Mary says
Great idea about the name. I want cheers!
Zahra Brown says
We went crazy shopping too when we went to America. We could get twice as much for the same price because Britain is SO expensive due to us getting taxed for everything but breathing (whoops, shouldn’t give the government new ideas…).
Judging by Australian shows like Home and Away and Neighbours, I wouldn’t want to be stuck in the gym either. Who wouldn’t rather go surfing or running down the beach instead of sweating indoors on the treadmill?
Mary says
True. When you have beautiful scenery surrounding you it’s hard to stay in the gym. I pretty much only use the gym for strength training. If I’m doing cardio I’m outside.
Liz says
You should definitely have your name on there somewhere. During my marathon the front of my shirt said “yell go liz” and the responses were amazing/encouraging.
Mary says
Yeah that would be cool. I wasn’t sure what to put on there to make people cheer for me. Just my name? Yell go Mary? I dunno. Going to a race before this would have helped me in this case I think.
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
I remember the same feelings when I was living in Europe. I missed how cheap things were and asked my mom to send care packages of things like make-up and other things I couldn’t get inexpensively.
I had the reverse letter culture shock. I was raised on the British spelling system in American Military Children Schools (go figure). My mom had to argue with my American teachers that Grey and Honour were indeed the correct spellings even if not “American”.
Oh and Good Luck on Your Tri…you will do fantastic because the effort you put in is already showing in your body changes. You are amazing!
Mary says
Hehe. I’m starting to forget which is correct. I generally just think in things like that they are both correct. Grey/gray… does it really matter?
Thanks!
Carina says
I’d say def wear your own shirt, not the race shirt. At least in running, it’s totally a rookie thing to wear the event shirt to the event. I know you ARE a rookie, everyone was once, but when I was a rookie I didn’t want to look like a rookie! Anyway, the theory is that you haven’t earned the shirt until you’ve finished the event.
But def wear the event shirt afterward! I’ll usually wear mine post-shower and clean-up on event day, or the following day, which is esp fun if you’re flying home from a marathon or something, everyone notices/asks.
Mary says
Got it. Be a rookie but a cool rookie. ;)
I can’t wait to wear my shirt though! I’m excited.
Kate says
Wear your own shirt. Lots of people WILL wear the event shirt at this event (and it’s not always considered a rookie thing- DOZENS of people wear their Rotorua Half IM jerseys every year), but it’s so much more satisfying to save it until you’ve “earned” it. Even after 4 half ironmen (and over 80 races, I think), I got super excited to wear my latest race top after the Tauranga Half.. And I STILL get excited every time I wear my first marathon top.
And wearing your own shirt will get you your own special cheers :)
GOOD LUCK!
Also- love the series. Keep it up!
Nikki says
Good going! Good luck for your tri!!!
Cilla says
Have you had a look at Dress Smart yet? NZ outlet shopping mall for most of the fashion & shoe shops you see in the malls and on the main streets :)
http://www.dress-smart.co.nz/index.php/page/homepage
I found some awesome bargains at our local branch yesterday arvo, including a denim jacket from Max outlet marked down to $30 from $140.
Mary says
I haven’t! I didn’t know where one was, but I just looked it up and there is one in Onehunga that I can go to. So I’ll check it out maybe next week. Thanks for the tip. :)
merri says
Ooh I love this blog entry. I love learning about differences. That is way expensive for nail polish. Even the good opi nail polish at sephora is only $9. how much is a mani/pedi there? Maybe the nail polish is more pricey because everyone gets it done at the nail salon instead? In sf, my nail place is $25 for a spa mani/pedi, which includes a scrub and parafin. I find that cheaper than the places around me where I lived in boston. Do you want me to mail you some makeup? You’ve just been writing about how good and pretty you feel when you put the effort in to look nice, it would be sad if you had to stop just because makeup is so inflated. Do people there wear more/less/same makeup as here in the US? I’d be happy with the gym thing. I really like it that people decide to join the gym and improve themselves, but I think the whole system of 90% of the people doing that all at the exact same time is kind of inefficient. It will be interesting to see if that happens in nz in a different month, and you just haven’t experienced it yet. Or maybe your gyms are just more responsible with their membership policies.
Sheri says
Big differences in price! Wow!
Anna Down Under says
You sound like me when I first moved to Australia, I was always complaining about makeup prices! I was used to much cheaper prices in the US, and in fact I still buy a lot of things online from the States rather than spend the higher prices in Australia. If makeup wasn’t bad enough, don’t even get me started on bras!
In fairness, my salary here is higher than it was in Wisconsin, as well, but I still can’t get over some of the prices here. When an Aussie dollar bought only 56 US cents (as when I first moved here) you could understand why prices were higher here. Now that it’s even, why haven’t prices come down?
Mary says
I didn’t mention bras but THAT TOO. I mean, bras in the US can be pretty pricey at some places too, but I was shocked here. It’s crazy.